Britons cautioned on foreign fertility treatment

LONDON (Reuters) - Britons were urged on Friday to think twice about going abroad for in vitro fertilization (IVF) and other types of fertility treatment.

The Human fertilization and Embryology Authority (HFEA), which monitors fertility clinics in England and Wales, said couples should think twice about the risks and implications before booking an IVF holiday.

"We know that a relatively small number of people choose to travel abroad to undergo fertility treatment and that sometimes the treatment is packaged as a 'holiday' where the patient can convalesce in the sun," said Suzi Leather, the chair of the

HFEA.

"However we are concerned that people who choose to have their treatment abroad should know about the potential risks," she added in a statement.

The HFEA said patients should consider what happens if something goes wrong, whether their information is kept confidential, the legal position of donors of eggs or sperm and how they are recruited, screened and compensated.

Leather said she has heard stories of foreign clinics offering treatments to patients that could be dangerous, such as implanting five embryos to increase the chances of a pregnancy.

Implanting two or more embryos can increase the odds of having a multiple birth, which can be dangerous for the mother and the babies.

"We would urge patients to think twice and consider the risks and implications before going abroad for treatment," Leather added.